Advisory Board

The Leadership Academy Advisory Board is comprised of representatives from the agricultural and forestry industries, alumni, and community leadership. Their primary responsibility is to provide volunteer leadership in evaluating the effectiveness of the Leadership Academy, provide advice relative to leadership experiences recommended to students, and promote and support the Leadership Academy and its fellows to our stakeholders.

 

Leadership Academy Advisory Board Members

 

Jill Bell, Weyerheauser

Jill is a native Oregonian who was born and raised in the timber community of Philomath. She is proud to call herself a logger’s daughter and found her passion for forestry from both her family, and high school forestry program. She chose to pursue a degree in Forest Engineering and graduated from Oregon State University in 2003. She started working for Weyerhaeuser as an engineer the day after graduation. While still working full time, she completed her MBA from Oregon State University in 2010. She eventually became a harvest manager for multiple years before accepting a position as an area manager in 2017. Jill is currently the area manager of a 130,000 acre operating area in the Oregon Cascades and has been employed with Weyerhaeuser for 19 years.

Carl Jones, Plant Sciences Director, MARS Advanced Research Institute

Mars is a global confectionary, food and pet care company that believes the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. With more than $35 billion in sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, IAMS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S® and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™.

Carl Jones is a plant geneticist and agriculture research industry executive with a passion for leadership, research and communication with the goal of ecological and economically sustainable agriculture through science, technology and innovation. Mars Advanced Research Institute mission is to partner at the forefront of science to create the future of Mars.

Carl received his Masters degree in Horticulture and a minor in Food Science from Oregon State University where his innovative work led to antioxidant rich “Indigo series” purple tomatoes released by OSU. Carl received his Ph.D. in Genetics from University of California, Davis where he studied nutritional improvement of tomato. Carl was Head of Innovation and New Technologies and served on the Global research leadership team at Bayer Vegetables where he worked for 15 years. Carl has more than 25 years’ experience in research and industry leadership and is author of numerous papers and inventor on more than a dozen US and international patents.

John Roberts, Retired Vice President, Harry & David

John and his wife Sheri have been involved in Oregon agriculture, both in practice and in service. John is a retired Senior Vice President of Harry and David and former Chair of the Oregon Water Resource Commission, as well as member of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. He currently serves on the College of Agricultural Sciences E.R. Jackman Friends and Alumni membership organization Board. John earned his bachelor of science degree from Oregon State University in Food Science and Technology in 1964 and continues his service to the industry.

Karla Wachter, Vice President of Operations, AgWest

 

Kathy Ward, Retired Head of Global Testing & Operations Veg R&D, Bayer Crop Science

Kathy began her career in the seed industry with Asgrow Seed Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan. When Seminis Vegetable Seeds was formed she relocated to Woodland, California in 1996. Her current position is the Head of Global Testing and Operations for Vegetable R&D in Bayer Crop Science. During her career she had the opportunity to travel to more than fifty countries and experience ag in many different cultures. She is actively involved in numerous mentoring and career development programs.

Kathy’s education includes an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Western Michigan University and Bachelors degree in Agronomy from Oregon State University. She was born and raised in northeastern Oregon, where her family continues full time operations of this century farm. Her time outside of work is spent tending her olive oil trees and vegetable garden, working on home remodeling projects, and enjoying outdoor activities. She is an avid OSU baseball and women’s basketball fan. She serves on the board for a non-profit supporting and conserving agriculture and habitat. She loves to travel and meet people all over the world. She shares her home with her husband, a dog and two cats.

Kenneth Munson, Board President, Independent Forest Advisor, International Paper

International Paper is one of the world’s leading producers of fiber-based packaging, pulp and paper. We create packaging products that protect and promote goods, enable worldwide commerce and keep consumers safe; pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal hygiene products that promote health and wellness; and papers that facilitate education and communication.Ken Munson is an Oregon State University and University of Florida alumnus who has extensive experience in leading forest industry businesses and projects. Ken’s background includes international success with a focus on sustainable forest management. He worked for International Paper for 30+ years, both in the US and abroad. His experience has provided him the chance to work in China, the Philippines, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Poland, Brazil, Canada, and France. He is currently an advisor and consultant to commercial projects in the US, Russia, Brazil and Ireland.

Kirk B. Maag, Environmental and Natural Resources Attorney, Stoel Rives LLP

Kirk Maag has deep roots in Oregon agriculture and co-leads the firm-wide Agribusiness, Food, Beverage, and Timber industry group at Stoel Rives—Oregon’s largest law firm. Kirk grew up working on my family’s farm and feedlot in eastern Oregon. His law practice involves advising clients in natural resource industries, including timber and forest products companies, agribusinesses, water suppliers, and manufacturers. He advises clients on issues related to water rights, farmland and timberland transactions, protected species, and solid waste regulations.

Kirk graduated from Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences with a degree in Environmental Economics, Policy, and Management. He earned his law degree at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C. Immediately following law school, Kirk clerked for Judge Carlos Bea on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals before returning to Oregon.

Kirk also serves on the boards of directors for the Oregon FFA Foundation and the Cultivating Change Foundation.

Lisa Charpilloz Hanson, Executive Director, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board

The mission of Oregon Department of Agriculture is to ensure healthy natural resources, environment, and economy for Oregonians now and in the future through inspection and certification, regulation, and promotion of agriculture and food.

Excerpt from 2018 Capitol Press article:

Lisa  began her  career  in  the  food  processing  industry  and  joined  ODA  as  the manager  of  its commodity commission program in 1996 before eventually working at “almost every level of the department,” according to a joint letter of support from the agency’s three most recent directors
—Alexis Taylor, Katy Coba and Phil Ward.

Her accomplishments include a change to ODA’s structure to create a “flatter” organization and reduce  the  bureaucracy  for  farmers,  ranchers  and  other  customers,  as  well  as  legislative leadership in representing agriculture’s interests among Oregon lawmakers, the letter said.

Lyle Gibbs, Agronomist, Nutrien Ag Solutions

Born and raised in Lebanon, OR Lyle grew up with a love for the outdoors, to this day he enjoys doing anything outside with his wife and daughter especially backyard BBQ’s with friends and family. He graduated from Oregon State in 2013 with a B.S. in Horticulture Turfgrass Management focusing on golf course and landscape maintenance. He worked in the golf industry during high school, through college, and spent the first two years after as an Assistant Superintendent at a local golf course. Today he is currently working as a Crop Consultant for Nutrien Ag Solutions at the Tangent, OR location helping growers with all aspects of agronomy.

Miriam Chambers, Fine Wine Manager, E. & J. Gallo Winery

Established in 1933 in Modesto, California, by Ernest and Julio Gallo, E. & J. Gallo Winery has become the world's largest and foremost winery in the art of grape growing, winemaking, distribution and marketing of wines. With ten wineries strategically located in wine regions in both California and Washington and access to grapes from vineyards in all of the premier grape-growing areas of both states, Gallo produces wines in every category, to suit every taste. Gallo imports wine and spirits from nine different countries around the world.

After graduating from Oregon State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Enology, and an alumnus of the College of Agricultural Sciences Leadership Academy, Miriam quickly transitioned into a successful career with Gallo Wines. Formerly an intern with Gallo, Miriam became a District Manager and Area Manager, Miriam now holds the role of Fine Wine Manager in Southern California where she will be partnering with distributor teams to successfully launch brands, communicate brand marketing direction, and support all selling initiatives through data analytics and in-field presence within the winery portfolio, across all fine wine accounts in the region.

Randall S. Rosenberger, Associate Dean for Student Success in Forestry, Oregon State University

Dr. Rosenberger joined Oregon State University’s College of Forestry in 2003 and is a professor in Forest Ecosystems & Society.  He received his PhD in agricultural and resource economics and MA in applied ethics from Colorado State University, and BA in philosophy from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran. He currently serves the College of Forestry as Associate Dean for Student Success, and actively promotes opportunities for students to pursue experiential learning opportunities, such as Leadership Academy.  He is proud of the students he has mentored in the past, and looks forward to mentoring students in the future.

Staci L. Simonich, Dean in College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University

Prior to joining the College of Agricultural Sciences’ leadership team, Dr. Simonich served as the Associate Vice President (AVP) for Research Operations and Integrity at Oregon State University (OSU), as well as Professor of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology and Chemistry in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Previously, Dr. Simonich has served administratively as Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the College of Science and Associate Department Head in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology.

Dave Dillon, President and CEO, Food Northwest

Dave Dillon is president of Food Northwest, the Oregon, Idaho, and Washington trade association for food companies of all sizes and types. Prior to joining the Food Northwest team, Dave led Oregon Farm Bureau, the state's largest farmer and rancher membership organization. He has worked for a U.S. senator and lived and worked in Japan. Dave earned a bachelor’s degree from and is a trustee of Linfield University. He is founding board member of the Resource Education and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) Oregon program and is a co-host for Cultivating Change Foundation events in Oregon. Dave holds an MBA from the University of Oregon's executive program. He grew up in Coos Bay.